About 20,000 ex-offenders have benefitted from Project Phoenix initiated by SCORE (Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprise) and WDA (Workforce Development Agency) to provide inmates with employable skills since 2007.

Marina Mandarin Singapore, as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility program, is one of the first hotels to partner with SCORE to enlist the hires who expressed interest and were successfully matched to the jobs.

The proud recipient of the Model Supervisor Award- Chef Christopher Eng has nurtured Abu Bakar, an ex-offender for the past year in the hotel’s pastry department and was nominated by his apprentice for this deserving award. “It’s about giving back to the community when we started out as well as help the hotel to ease the manpower crunch but more importantly, the lives transformed through this program is something that is beyond measure,” remarked Mr Kurt Wehinger, General Manager of Marina Mandarin Singapore.

The luxury hotel is the only hotel attaining the Spark of Hope awardat the SCORE APPRECIATION AWARDS 2013 whereby SCORE CEO, MR Teo Tse Fang expressed the appreciation for Marina Mandarin Singapore to step forward to show an exemplary outcome of Project Phoenix in “inspiring hope beyond hiring.” The company practices open communication with staff and is known to provide a supportive work environment for the ex-offenders hired, through effective mentoring. The hotel has also sent ex-offenders who performed well at work for self-improvement courses or further skills upgrading.

Acting Minister for Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin, who was speaking at the annual SCORE appreciation awards sums it up that “it is not just about providing the job but also about helping them to stay in the job and to progress.” Going that extra mile for the community is just what Marina Mandarin Singapore will continue to do and aspire to touch and rebuild lives that come through the doors of SCORE.